The Most Beautiful Thing in the World Today: A Carousel

by Natasha Wolff | August 26, 2015 9:43 am

Deep inside The Battery[1], a 25-acre park facing New York Harbor, lies a spiraling nautilus pavilion of glass and steel that houses a carousel of 30 magnificent (and glowing) fish creatures. The long-awaited attraction—aptly dubbed SeaGlass Carousel—made its public debut on August 20, and crowds of visitors are eager to go for a spin.

The unique ride is the brainchild of WXY Architecture and Urban Design and features massive fish figures (as large as 9 ½ feet wide and 13 ½ feet tall) designed by world-renowned designer and sculptor George Tsypin.

SeaGlass Carousel

“SeaGlass allows visitors to experience a ‘mini opera’ in which they are spectators, actors and participants,” said Tsypin in a release. “A sculptural and visually striking ride, it is a reinvention of a traditional carousel that creates a fully immersive underwater experience.”

Unlike traditional carousels, visitors sit within the aquatic creatures rather than atop them as they glide through the ride. The figures—which are embedded with speakers to provide a mixture of classical compositions and melodies—rotate two different ways and bounce up and down thanks to special motors in the floorboards. 

SeaGlass Carousel cost $16 million to develop and pays homage to The Battery’s history as the original home of the New York Aquarium. It is open daily from 10am-10pm, so be sure to stop by and experience the aquatic adventure for yourself. 

Source URL: https://dujour.com/life/battery-park-seaglass-carousel/